GALVESTON - After facing the dangers posed by shrimp nets, the BP oil spill and snaps of freezing weather, the endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtle could be facing a new menace, turtle advocates say.

Sound waves from planned explosions for seismic testing on the Bolivar Peninsula could drive turtles away before they reach the beaches to nest, advocates say.

At the same time, researchers are grateful for the funds that Samson Resources Co., which will conduct the seismic tests for oil and gas, will be pouring into the perennially cash-strapped turtle patrols.

The patrols guard the nests and make sure hatchlings survive, but there may be no turtles to protect because of the testing, said Carole Allen, Gulf director for the Sea Turtle Restoration Project.

Laments the risk

"I think it is ridiculous that they would go ahead after all these millions of dollars they have spent on rescuing these turtles," Allen said. She wants the testing delayed until after nesting season, roughly from April 1 to July 15.

The National Marine Fisheries Service found that the tests would not harm the turtles, said David Bernhart, agency chief of protected resources for the southeast region. He said few turtle nests have been found on the peninsula since Hurricane Ike damaged the nesting areas in 2008.

Allen pointed out that no study exists on how seismic testing affects turtle nesting.

"It's a risk we should not be asked to take by the government," she said.

Samson spokesman Steve Trujillo said the testing period, between April 15 and Oct. 15, was determined by a dozen state and federal regulatory agencies over 13 months of negotiations and approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The company plans to conduct seismic tests on 47.3 miles of the Bolivar Peninsula, part of a larger 750-mile testing area, Trujillo said.

The testing must be done in geographical sequence without interruption, making it imperative to conduct testing during the turtle season in order to adhere to the federally imposed timeline, he said.

Biologists hired by Samson to monitor test sites for turtle activity will be trained by Tasha Metz, turtle patrol coordinator and researcher at Texas A&M Galveston.

The company is keeping its test sites 600 feet from the water to avoid the most favored nesting areas, Trujillo said. Biologists will shut down operations if turtles or dolphins come within 550 yards of a test boat or if turtles come within 1,000 feet of the peninsula sites.

Trujillo estimated his company could spend as much as $300,000 on turtle protection.

Funding patrols

Samson is contracting with Texas A&M Galveston for the patrols and training, he said. The amount of the contract wasn't available, but it's enough for twice-daily turtle patrols as well as weekend patrols.

Researchers scramble every year to raise about $75,000 to pay for the patrols on the Bolivar Peninsula, Galveston Island and Surfside Beach.